Mail-box for rural free delivery.



No. 719,474. PATBNTEDFEB. s, 1903.

H. N. KING.

MAIL BOX FOR RURAL FREE DELIVERY. APPLIUATIQN FILED my '7, 1902.

I0 MODEL.

WITNESSES. v JNVEJVTOR.

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UNHED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY N. KING, OF ADRIAN, MICHIGAN.

MAIL-BOX FOR RURAL FREE DELIVERY.

SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 719,474, dated February3, 1903.

Application filed May 7,1902. Serial No. 106,240. (No model.)

To aZZ whom zit may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY N. KING, a citizen of the United States,residing at Adrian, county of Lenawee, State of Michigan, have inventeda certain new and useful Improvement in Mail-Boxes for Rural FreeDelivery, of which the following is a specification, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention has for its object certain new and useful improvements in amail-box for rural free delivery; and it consists of the construction,combination, and arrangement of devices hereinafter specified andclaimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figurel is a View in perspective. Fig. 2 is a view in vertical longitudinalsection. Fig. 3 is a view in vertical cross-section. Fig. 4 is a detailview showing the loop 2' and slot 7' on an enlarged scale.

The aim of my invention is to provide a mail-box of this description ofsuperior durability, economy, and utility.

I carry out my invention as follows: In the drawings, a represents thevertical wall, or, in other words, the sides and ends of the box, allmade in a single integral piece of suitable sheet metal formed of asuitable blank stamped and pressed into desired form. The cover isindicated at I), having side and end flanges bent downward over theupper edges of the walls of the box, as shown. The bottom is indicatedat 0, formed with downwardlyprojecting side and end flanges, throughwhich the bottom is riveted to the lower edges of the walls of the box,as shown at at. One of the ends of the box, preferably, is formed withan opening 6 for the insertion of mail into the box, said opening,covered with a hood f, having a hinged engagement at its upper end, asshown at g, to the inner surface of the corresponding end of the boxabove the opening. To this end a strap h is secured to the adjacentinner surface of the box, formed with a loop i at its lower end, thehood being constructed with a slot at j, in which said loop is engaged.It will be obvious that the hood will have but a limited opening inconsequence of the upper edge of the hood striking against the innerface of the loop, the hood opening, however, sufficiently to permit theinsertion of mail, but not opening sufliciently to afford access to thecontents of the box. The upper edge of the hood is cut away at itscorners, forming an intermediate tongue it, having the slot j, which ispassed through the opening g to engage the loop 11. The reardownwardly-projecting flange of the cover I) is slotted, as at Z. Strapsor hinges m, formed with loops n, are secured to the rear outer face ofthe wall a, the loops 1]. being engaged in the slots Z to form hingesfor the cover. It will be obvious that the lower edge of the flange ofthe cover, when the cover is open, striking against the loop will form astop to limit the movement of the cover and prevent its dropping downagainst the rear face of the box, the cover being thus supported, asindicated in dotted lines, Fig. 3.

A haspp is secured to the front face of the wall of the box, formed witha loop q, the loop entering a slot at r in the front depending flange ofthe cover, into which loop a suitable lock may be engaged.

On one of the inner faces of the box is socured a mail-holder s forholding outgoing mail. Also upon one of the inner surfaces of the wallof the box is located a swinging money box or support, (indicated at t,)said support being pivotally connected with the wall of the box, asindicated at u, so that the device may be tilted downward to dischargethe money therein, one end of said box being open, as indicated at 'u,for the ready discharge of the money into the hands of the carrier. Thestraps on are riveted or otherwise secured to the outer face of the box,as indicated at w.

A signal device is indicated at w, the same being pivotally engaged withone of the end flanges of the cover, as indicated at y, said flangebeing also provided with a stop, as indicated at a, to limit themovement of the signal device in one direction and support said devicein displayed position. This device being pivotally engaged with the endflange of the cover, it will obviously be thrown down out of displayedposition whenever the cover is opened and will remain. in such positionuntil thrown back in displayed position. The upright walls of the box,as above noted, are formed of one piece of metal cut to shape, as

also the cover, the cover being made withouta seam. The adjacent edgesof the piece constituting the walls of the box are lapped at the rear ofthe box and riveted together, as indicated at the numeral 1. The Walls,cover, and bottom of the box may be constructed by machinery, the slotsand rivet-holes therein being also formed by machinery. A box so made isstrong and durable and not liable to get out of order.

The mail-holder s I prefer to construct with a single piece of wire bentupward intermediate of its ends, the extremities of the Wire beingengaged with the wall of the box.

What I claim as my invention is 1. A mail-box embodying a vertical Wallforming the sides and ends thereof, a cover, and a bottom united to saidwall, each formed in a single piece, and straps each formed with a loopat its upper end engaged upon the rear outer face of said Wall, a haspengaged with the front face of said wall formed with a loop at its upperend, said cover formed with a downwardly-projecting flange slotted toreceive the loops of the straps, and the loop of the hasp.

2. In a mail-box a swinging money box or support having an oscillatoryengagement with the innersurface of said box, said money box or supportopen at one of the lateral ends thereof.

3. A mail-box having an opening for the reception of mail and a hood toclose said opening, the adjacent inner face of the wall provided with astrap above said opening formed with a loop, the upper edge of the hoodslotted to engage said loop on the inner face of the box, said hoodhaving a limited outer movement by the contact of its upper edge withthe loop of the strap.

4. A mail-box embodying a vertical wall forming the sides and endsthereof, a cover, and a bottom united to said wall each formed in asingle piece, the rear outer face of said wall provided with straps eachformed with a loop at its upper end,said cover formed with adownwardly-projecting flange slotted to receive the loops of the straps,said cover adapted'to be supported in open position by the con tact ofthe lower edge of said flange with the loops of the straps.

5. A mail-box embodying a vertical wall forming the sides and endsthereof, a cover, and a bottom united to said wall each formed in asingle piece, straps engaged with the rear outer surface of said walleach formed with a loop at its outer end, said cover formed with adownwardly-projecting flange slotted to receive the loops of the strapsand thereby form a jointed engagement of the cover with the wall of thebox, and a mail-holder Within said box. In testimony whereof I havesigned this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

. HENRY N. KING. Witnesses:

FRED A. ACKER, A. DOBBINS.

